Shiner FM 966 Farmhouse Ale

You guys, awesome LIBA-nation news is coming soon. I’m not going to spoil Josh’s surprise, but it’s going to be pretty epic, and has totally made my day. Speaking of making my day, the weather has been amazing today after what seems like months of bitter cold, and the first hints of Spring are in the air.

Feeling inspired, I picked up a mixed six with several Spring seasonals, and I’ve decided to make Spoetzl’s Shiner Farmhouse Ale this week’s review. I really enjoyed their Christmas seasonal Shiner Holiday Cheer a few years ago, so my hopes are high for this brew.

It pours out a hazy straw yellow hue, with a thick white foam crown and tons of tiny bubbles. The aroma is quite spicy and light, with maybe some coriander and pepper notes. So far, so good.

Unfortunately, I was a little let down on the taste. Don’t get me wrong, this is a perfectly fine beer, but I really didn’t get any of the aroma’s spices on the taste, and I think I’d be hard pressed to call this a farmhouse ale if I didn’t read the label. Maybe a really tasty pilsner instead?

That’s definitely the taste I get up front, before it gets a bit sweeter and kind of citrusy through the middle, ending on a slightly bitter and peppery end note. There’s also a pretty decent mouthfeel going on here, and the end note lingers around for a while.

Overall, I’d call this pretty good, not great. Shiner Farmhouse Ale is eminently drinkable and tasty, so I’d recommend picking it up as a session beer, but that’s about it.